Despite popular misconception, ketchup is no new commodity. Its history starts in the 1690s when the Chinese concocted a mixture of pickled fish and spices. They called this koe-chip, which literally means “the brine of pickled fish” (it’s come far, huh?). This sauce made its way to the tables of British explorers by the 18th century, when it traveled to Malay (nowadays called Malaysia). By then it had adopted a new name: kechap. More...

When friends travel to new places, I always tell them to bring me back shoes. Most of the time, they think I’m joking, and return with the usual nick-knacks of shot glasses and postcards. But recently, my friend spent some time in Italy and came back with something equally as fabulous as some Emilio Pucci flats: real limoncello. Sure, I’d had it before, in mixed drinks and such, but nothing compares to the real thing handmade in someone’s cellar in Rome. Unlike the limoncello I’d tried before, this authentic, bottled elixir was so good that I craved more, spawning a little research. To my surprise and delight, I learned it wasn’t at all hard to make, so I set out to create my own batch of limoncello. More...

You don’t have to be an attendee of Oktoberfest to appreciate the way beer has changed the world. From spawning the agricultural revolution to preventing the spread of diseases like cholera, good ol’ beer has been behind some remarkable human milestones. More...